He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' jail this week for a reign of terror that left an untold number of people so scared only two ever came forward.

Police could have brought more serious charges against him - but accepted his guilty plea on lesser charges to spare the petrified witnesses the ordeal of giving evidence in court. The torment of the 6ft 3in brute's victims mirrors this week's Coronation Street plot in which Gail Platt's new husband Joe tried to fake his own death in a desperate attempt to escape violent loan shark Rick.

Like him, evil Johnson preyed on vulnerable families needing cash. He then charged a staggering 1,200% interest on loans and intimidated them into paying up with death threats and violence.

Branded "despicable" by the judge as he jailed him on Wednesday, heavily-built and tattooed ex-doorman Johnson screwed £30,000 out of two victims alone in Leicester.

And while his frightened debtors desperately scrabbled around for the money to pay him on time, he lived the high life, splashing their cash on luxuries including new cars and an expensive holiday. Police said they have never seen witnesses so afraid.

The two who came forward have since moved to other parts of the country, fearing reprisals from his doormen "associates".

And Kate, who yesterday bravely spoke to the Mirror from her new home, says watching the Corrie plot has brought back painful memories of her three years living at the mercy of Johnson.

PETRIFIED

She says: "I know exactly what they are going through and I understand what could drive someone to such desperate measures. I was absolutely scared stiff all of the time, afraid for myself and my family every minute of the day.

"If a car door slammed outside, if someone moved their wheelie bin, if someone knocked on the door too hard, I'd be scared out of my wits.

"Even now, three years later, that kind of thing still scares me."

Kate's nightmare began in 2005 when her partner Andrew turned to Johnson for cash. At one point the couple, who've since split, owed him £14,000 but when they missed a payment, he suddenly slapped on another £5,000 interest. In desperation they turned to Andrew's mother, who took out a £19,000 overdraft to clear their debts.

But then Johnson told them he wanted another £27,000 on top of that. After another missed payment it went up again to £50,000, until Johnson demanded they sign over Casey's flat worth £75,000.

It was when the sale fell through that Johnson rang Kate, threatening her life if she didn't either hand over £50,000 or the key to the property.

Kate - not her real name - remembers: "AJ once attacked Andrew in a pub garden demanding the money, then called me on his mobile to tell me what he'd done.

"He laughed and said 'There's blood everywhere.' I knew he was serious about his threats, so when I knew he was coming round I just picked up my son and left. I was hysterical, crying and shaking."

After Kate called the police, she was referred to her local Illegal Money Lending Unit, one of a number of teams set up to investigate cases of loan sharks.

Amazingly, it was the first time it had heard of Johnson - an indication of the tight grip of fear he held.

The head of the investigation into Johnson's activities, "Nick" - whose name has also been changed to protect his ID - remembers: "Twenty years in the police and I don't think I've worked with more terrified witnesses. And I suspect there's an awful lot more of his victims who haven't yet come forward.

"Johnson was so arrogant he didn't keep that many books, he would just make up figures off the top of his head.

"He'd even given Kate and Andrew an Alliance and Leicester paying-in card for his own account, so they could pay what they owed straight in. He made them pay monthly instalments on the new black VW car he'd just bought, and even forced them to pay the instalments on his family's holiday to Alcudia in Majorca."

When police officers raided Johnson's house last April, they caught him ripping up a piece of paper with a list of clients and the amounts they owed - some as much as £15,000 - and trying to flush it down the toilet.

Nick recalls: "We saw that he was living it up on other people's misery. There was a van and his new car on the drive, a new widescreen TV, expensive golf clubs and an £1,800 Tag Heuer watch. We also found £2,540 cash. '"We managed to reach Johnson before he ripped up his list of debtors. Even for the two witnesses who agreed to make a statement, it took us nine months of careful rapport building for them to agree to it."

So traumatised was Kate's partner Andrew that he refused to make a statement.

Kate and the other witness, Paul, had no option but to leave Leicester.

Brave Nick says: "It's a huge decision to up sticks and leave all your friends and family behind, knowing you'll probably never be able to go back. But what these two have done is incredibly courageous. Because of them a vile criminal is now behind bars."

Johnson was jailed at Nottingham crown court after pleading guilty to carrying on a business without a consumer credit licence between 2005 and 2009. He also admitted four counts of obtaining criminal property to a value of £28,875 - the money he extorted from his victims.

Nick now intends to start confiscation proceedings to claw back over £30,000.

Yesterday consumer minister Kevin Brennan said: "My message to anyone who is considering borrowing from a loan shark is don't. There are other options available to you that the Citizens' Advice Bureau or the National Debtline can help you with."

VICTIM 'PAUL'

Paul - the second brave witness to testify against Johnson - turned to the loan shark after quitting his job to look after his disabled wife.

Johnson lent him £500 then told him he wanted £1,000 by the end of the month, an interest rate of 1,200% per annum.

When Paul - not his real name - could not pay, the bully applied a £500 penalty and told him if he did not he would "get hurt".

At one meeting, Johnson said: "Give me £200 next Thursday or you're dead." Investigator Nick says: "He'd been the subject of terrible threats.

Johnson was demanding £250 per week ad infinitum. "Paul left the house where he lived all his life in a moonlight flit.